Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

Chapter 570: 570
Sacrifice?

It was afternoon, and the faint fragrance of wheat wafted in the distant harbor.

At dozens of distribution points in the city, hundreds of thousands of people lined up to receive the free wheat.

The grains were golden and full, without any gravel or impurities, and they emitted a mesmerizing fragrance.

Only the granaries of feudal lords and nobles would have such good food.

Men supported their parents, women carried their children, and so on and so forth.

They had already learned to line up.

Even the number of defectors responsible for maintaining order was far less than last time. The citizens were still orderly, without any noise or noise. They were neither anxious nor shoving.

There were still some smart people who tried to collect it repeatedly. They were all recognized on the spot, deprived of their identity certificates, punished with flogging, and the food they had distributed was recovered and thrown on the streets as a warning to others.

What greeted them were the cold looks of disdain from the others.

The so-called grace and power are applied at the same time.

Their trust was once again consolidated.

The so-called trust was the easiest to consolidate when it was shaken. Many of the people present had complained about Kant during the past ten days because of the soaring grain prices and the lack of food. But now, grain had fallen from the sky. The generous and benevolent His Highness had given them free food for five days. The small thoughts and doubts that had once appeared in their hearts had long disappeared. They even had a kind of compensation mentality. They had to resolutely draw a line between themselves and the doubts that had once wavered. And the best way to do that was to praise and boast about His Highness Kant.

In this kind of psychological change, a deep impression would gradually be left.

His Highness Kant was merciful.

Kant was cruel.

Your Highness Kant…Justice.

It was orderly. Everyone had smiles on their faces and hope in their eyes.

This was Distant Harbor today.

.. A part of it.

“I’m finished, I’m finished, I’m finished!”

Some laughed, while others cried.

While the civilians were happily collecting food, the heavily guarded City Hall finally opened after a painful afternoon of hunger and fear.

In the Hall of Justice, nobles who had lost their souls quickly walked out.

In stark contrast to their high-spirited, elegant, and arrogant demeanor, they were all staggering like stray dogs, lowering their heads and covering their faces as they ran.

The Tulip District, where the nobles gathered, was now shrouded in a haze of fear.

There was no longer any singing in the fragrant gardens. All the salons, afternoon tea, and balls had come to an end. The young and beautiful young ladies had hidden in their boudoirs, the rich ladies had hurriedly pushed back all their schedules, and the handsome young masters had all scampered home. All the family members were trembling with fear, not daring to breathe loudly, including the maids and handymen.

Because the family head… Every family head was venting their anger.

And endless fear.

In the Hauss family’s mansion, the current family head, Earl Hauss, was roaring in an antique study. He was in his prime, with shiny black hair and an elegant monocle. He was a well-known gentleman in Distant Harbor. His family controlled one-third of the sugar business in Distant Harbor, and there were more than a dozen farms in Blue Wave Province. Of course, he was involved in this economic war.

He had been roaring ever since he came back from the City Hall an hour ago.

His collar had been completely pulled open, revealing his red chest. At this moment, Count Hawes no longer had any grace to speak of. His eyes were bloodshot, like a wild beast.

He cursed madly, cursing himself, cursing the shameless Han Zezheng, cursing the muddle-headed Norman governor, cursing the incompetent elves, cursing the damned dragon race.

However, among the targets of his curses, there was always one person that he intentionally or unintentionally skipped.

However, this did not mean that he was not angry.

It was just that fear was greater than anger.

Earl Hawes, who was pacing back and forth, hugging his head and screaming, suddenly glanced at the bookshelf. A feeling of anger suddenly erupted in his heart. Aurora, why is it always Aurora!

He grabbed the Aurora porcelain on the bookshelf and reached out to smash it.

But the next moment, the Earl quivered, and the muscles in his hands that were about to loosen his grip reflexively tightened again. He held the almost shattered antique tightly with both hands and carefully put it back on the shelf as if he was holding a baby.

Then he roared,”Bastard! Bastard! Bastard! Why is there such a thing?”

There were six or seven people standing in the room with their heads lowered and not daring to breathe.

These people were monkeys.

From the moment they saw Kant release the grain, the people in charge of the industries of the Hawes family knew that something bad was going to happen. All the grain transactions that were still hot a second ago were halted. Even those who had paid the deposit turned around and left. The sight of grain falling from the sky was a miracle of the God of Harvest in the eyes of the commoners, but in their eyes, it was a horn of destruction.

They waited for a long time in the manor before their master was released. However, the always shrewd and wise master did not let them feel at ease. Instead, he was like a mortal, raging, roaring, and smashing.

These lackeys did not move at all. Their eyes were fixed on their toes as they listened to the patriarch’s angry roar.

However, an indescribable feeling surfaced in his heart… Contempt.

You’re just so-so…They were delighted.

Even though they had privately paid to participate in this booming grain business, even though they knew that they would definitely suffer heavy losses this time, they were not as miserable as the family head. Moreover, many of their losses had already been transferred to the Chamber of Commerce.

As for other matters…It had nothing to do with them.

However, it was a pity that such a huge family business, such a luxurious building, and such a beautiful…

The door was pushed open quietly.

A fragrant wind blew, and a graceful noblewoman leaned in. She was about thirty years old, plump and supple, and her skin was well maintained. She wore a noble bun, and her entire body exuded a noble aura. Only the noblest noblewoman could have such elegance. This meant that she was completely free from labor and had a lot of time to take care of herself every day.

As soon as she entered, the somber study room instantly warmed up, as if a scent of meat had drifted in. A few lackeys who had their heads lowered quickly glanced at their sister-in-law, then hurriedly lowered their heads. Someone was still peeking.

Count Hawes glanced at his wife and sighed.

“Honey, I just rushed back… From Mrs. York’s salon.” The noblewoman whispered,” I heard that something happened…Mr. York didn’t even greet us when he came back.”

The frustrated Earl wanted to get angry, but he looked at his wife. He was so angry that he couldn’t vent his anger. He looked dejected and slowly exhaled.” Yes, it’s over, Annie. It’s over.”

He sat back on the chair weakly and looked at his wife with a bitter smile.

“I regret it very much, Annie. I should have listened to you back then…”

The earl buried his face in his palms and shrugged his shoulders weakly.

” Let’s go!” Lady Annie gestured for the people in the room to leave. After they left, she came forward and held her husband’s shoulder.” What happened?” she asked softly.

Hawes ‘body trembled uncontrollably.

It was a strong sense of shame and fear. No matter how his wife comforted him, he could not control this instinct.

He recounted what had happened in the Hall of Justice.

Han Ze was leading his troops into the sacred noble hall, rescinding the appointment of the governor on the spot and issuing Kant’s temporary decree. No one dared to say a word of objection under the threat of weapons.

Then, the nobles were regulated and brought to strange magic devices one by one like prisoners. In front of the black eye, they held a sign and took photos of the front and side to record their identities. Then, they swore an oath to the eye.

He swore to Sun God Sura that he would never leave Distant Port before he was cleared of suspicion and the temporary government of Distant Port lifted the ban on him. Otherwise, he would voluntarily give up all honor, title, and dignity, and willingly accept all punishment, punishment, and torture without complaint.

They were even forced to add a sentence to their oaths.

” Just like the nobles who tried to incite the civilians and betray His Highness Kant during the riots in Faraway Harbor.”

This was the ultimate humiliation.

This was because they were dissatisfied with the way Kant had dealt with the traitors. Hence, they had launched this economic war in an attempt to demonstrate their strength to Kant.

But now, he was forced to say such words in his lair.

– Don’t want to say? It didn’t matter.

Then, as a criminal suspect suspected of manipulating prices and harming civilians, he would be thrown into prison and await investigation and judgment. As for whether your family would be leaderless, whether your family business would be torn apart in this food crisis, and whether your wife and property would be occupied by your side branches and brothers…

Then it’s none of our business.

The unyielding nobles of Distant Harbor all obeyed.

After that, they were sent home.

Count Hawes did not think that this was mercy.

This was a cruel joke.

“He wants to see us struggle…”

At this point, Hawes was already trembling like a sieve.

Supervising the trading of bulk commodities, suspending all lending activities, urging taxes…They were like sharp arrows that were aimed precisely at the vital parts. He seemed to be able to see the cruel smiles of the people of Aurora.

“He’s taking revenge and punishing us…”

The profits from the grain speculation were so great that the nobles with limited cash would naturally use their properties and businesses as collateral to borrow money wantonly. They thought that they could earn a wave of money and leave immediately. They decided to make a move immediately after they had earned enough. However, Kant’s timing was extremely tricky. Once he made his move, it was earth-shattering and ruthless.

The wheat waves that poured down from the sky were like a forbidden spell.

It was an economic forbidden spell.

In the most overbearing, vicious, and brutal way, he destroyed all the confidence in the market with one blow.

“The grain trade has all stopped…No one will buy it again…” Hawes trembled.” Because Kant announced that he would be giving out free rations for five days…”

” The commoners won’t buy it because there are free ones…”

“The merchants won’t buy it either. They’re scared out of their wits by that wheat mountain…If Kant could move one, he might be able to move ten or a hundred more…No one dares to gamble anymore…”

Hawes turned his head. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at his wife.” The most vicious thing was that he gave a five-day deadline. After five days, he would continue to sell grain at the price of five copper coins per pound. This price is one-seventh of the current grain price. It was the stable grain price before the Distant Port War…”

“Five copper coins for a pound…” Annie’s expression changed. There might still be a chance.”

“It’s hopeless…” Hawes said sadly,” Kant has already taken this into account…”If we nobles were united and had no selfish motives, we could indeed fight a price war. However, he kept it for five days. He kept it for us for five days…”

“No matter how strong the alliance is, it will fall apart in five days, because everyone wants to pay less and minimize their losses…” the earl lamented.

“Anne, I really regret not listening to you…” He closed his eyes in despair.

When the food prices were high, his wife gave him a clear warning.

Annie said that His Highness Kant would never compromise or give in because of this. The nobles ‘attacks would only make him even angrier, and he would retaliate and punish them at all costs.

He still remembered clearly what his wife had said that day.

“It’s not because of my pride… I’ve heard rumors about His Highness Kant, and I’ve also paid attention to what he did in Distant Harbor. There’s no doubt that he’s benevolent. This benevolence isn’t hypocritical or powerless. It’s built on a firm will and powerful strength. Whether it’s the Valentan’s speech that has been quoted countless times or the meticulous and thoughtful way he distributed food to the civilians of Distant Harbor…It can all reflect this point.”

” And his benevolence treats everyone equally. He is like a god who loves every living being.”

“Then, what are the consequences of the nobles pushing up the price of grain? The commoners could not fill their stomachs and might even die of hunger, even if it was just this…His Highness Kant would not hesitate to punish everyone involved in this matter in any way. It will definitely be like this…”

Annie said.

But even now, Count Hawes still could not understand why Kant would favor and favor people who were as lowly as grass. Why was Kant so hostile towards us? We are far more powerful than them, and we can provide far more help, loyalty, and contribution than they can? Why?

He still didn’t understand.

However, the results had already explained everything.

His wife was right.

But at that time…He ignored it.

“What should I do? What should I do?”

He muttered,”It’s over, it’s all over…”

In order to make a fortune, he used his sugar business and family business as collateral to borrow a large sum of money. Even if it was a loan shark with extremely high interest rates, he did not frown at all. Because the price of grain rose faster, he could earn more if he bought it earlier. Why not?

And now, all the food that he had stored up was in his hands.

Kant first distributed grain for free, and then five days later, he forcibly fixed the price at five copper coins per pound. This move completely shattered the deformed grain market. It was easy to imagine that within these five days, the price of grain would experience an avalanche. Panic selling would instantly push the price of grain to an unimaginably low price.

And his loan was borrowed when the grain price was extremely high…

He had to return it.

Because it was a short-term targeted loan.

The interest was very high.

He had to return it.

Otherwise, the family property that he had to mortgage…

From the beginning to the end, Earl Hawes had never thought of reneging on his debt.

It wasn’t that he was an upright and trustworthy person.

Instead, she lent him money…It was Dragon Island.

What kind of free soul would have the thought of reneging on a debt with a dragon!

“Calm down,”

Hawes, who was on the verge of breaking down, suddenly felt a pain in his shoulder.

When he looked up, his wife was looking at him with an unprecedentedly serious gaze.

He had never thought that his small hands, which had never held anything heavier than a teacup, would have such great strength.

” Darling, calm down. What has happened has already happened. What we need to do now is to minimize our losses and protect our family business. At the very least, we have to protect ourselves, you, me, and our daughters…”

“But…” Hawes thought of his ladies and felt a pain in his heart.

“There are no buts. This is our responsibility as parents.”

Annie’s beautiful and round face was solemn.” First of all, we have to maximize the use of our current assets. That is, we have to buy the grain that we have stockpiled. The grain prices in the distant port will definitely collapse. Even if we sell it at a lower price at all costs, we won’t be able to sell it…”

” The same goes for the entire Blue Wave Province. The trend of the collapse of grain prices will definitely spread from the distant port to all parts of the country.”

“But other places are different!”

“Goethe’s other regions! Even overseas! In the end, this year’s harvest was very good, and there was no shortage of food. The soaring grain prices were originally very unreasonable. The reason for the extremely high grain prices in the Green Wave Province was completely due to external factors. It was closed and unique. In other words, the grain prices in other regions would still maintain their original scale…We want to sell grain to those places!”

“Before the others figure it out, we have to transport the food out and sell it!”

“This way, we can maximize the recovery of funds!”

Hawes blinked.

He looked at his wife in disbelief, as if he was meeting her for the first time.

After marrying her, this beautiful wife had been a noble lady in peace. She spent a lot of time taking care of herself, watching plays, socializing with other noble ladies, and educating her children. She lived like this every day, and he gave his wife such a life. It was as if it was natural.

Occasionally, his wife would talk to him about business matters. He would laugh and change the topic after listening to a few words. The mistress did not need to know this, or else she would not need a man.

But now…

His wife’s words were like a bolt of lightning that lit up his heart.

He was flustered and helpless because of fear and panic. Only now did he suddenly wake up.

“Yes!” He shouted,” We have to reduce our losses!”

“Men!”

The people in charge of the Chamber of Commerce who were waiting outside rushed in.

The grain was taken out of the warehouse, the vehicles were mobilized, and the captain and sailors were contacted to prepare for loading.

After that, he would make a plan, determine the buyer, and transport the grain out of Distant Harbor and Blue Wave Province as quickly as possible.

Everything was arranged in an orderly manner.

After his lackeys left, Hawes heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. He felt much more relaxed. He turned around to praise his wife, but he saw that Annie’s expression was still serious.

“.. Annie, thank you.” He said,” What else can we do?”

“No, no, no. It’s better to say that the real thing has just begun.”

“What?” the Earl asked blankly.

Annie looked out the window. There were still dragons circling in the sky. They were the main force in the attack and suppression earlier today.

” My dear,” the noblewoman said softly,” I just thought of something. Do you think the Dragon Island would have entered the Green Wave Province without Kant’s permission, borrowed money, and made a fortune?”

Hawes did not understand at first, but his pupils constricted immediately.

The earl took two steps back. Shock, anger, fear, distortion, and hatred appeared on his face. He seemed to understand that this was all a trap set by Kant-the evil Skyquaker!

“It’s very difficult for us to repay the debt of the dragon race…The dragons have plenty of ways to squeeze out all our wealth, especially with Kant’s promise or even permission.”

“Unless…” Annie whispered.

Hawes seemed to see a ray of light in the darkness.

“Unless what?”

His voice had become hoarse.

“Unless we make a choice and… Sacrifice.”

The beautiful woman replied softly. She bit her lip and her face was a little pale. The children… Everyone in the Hawes family has the obligation to make sacrifices.”

The earl instantly understood what his wife meant.

He revealed a twisted expression of fury. He was not surprised by this. Because nobles were always high above and enjoyed too much fun that ordinary people could not imagine, the threshold of pleasure was already extremely high. In order to pursue more happiness, there would always be new ways to play.

The business world was like a battlefield. There would always be bankruptcy, war, disasters, and the like. Once prominent families would fall, and once noble and beautiful people would lose their protection. They would even be pushed out by their former protectors in exchange for a chance to rise again…Almost all the nobles could not resist this temptation.

Count Hawes had also enjoyed it many times.

Those once beautiful and noble ladies whose husbands had titles and statuses that were even higher than his. Those young and beautiful girls who had once called him uncle sweetly were now singing softly with tears in their eyes under his body. That kind of incomparable excitement and joy made him sink into it and reminisce endlessly.

But when it was his turn…

“I won’t allow it!”

“We’ll sell the grain outside!”he said sternly. Collect a portion of the funds! Then, he would sell a portion of his business and use the profits from the sugar business as a guarantee to ask the Dragon Clan to extend the deadline! I’ll pay off this debt! Even if I go bankrupt, even if I lose all my face, I will never let you and the children use their own…”

In the next moment, there was a loud knock on the door. The stewards who had gone out to do things earlier had a bad look on their faces. They hurried back and shouted,”Sir!” The docks and sea routes have been blocked by the three navies, and the trade routes leading out of the city have also been blocked by the Investigation Corps. The cargo stations and docks have received clear instructions. His Highness Kant has ordered that not a single grain is allowed to be transported outside before this matter is over!”

Hawes opened his mouth slightly, unable to say the second half of his bold words.

His body swayed, and he staggered back a few steps, knocking into the bookshelf behind him.

Amidst the violent tremors, the Aurora porcelain that was placed on the bookshelf fell to the ground as it shook. It shattered into pieces with a bang…

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[P.S. 1: I wrote too much today. I’ve written 7,000 to 8,000 words, but the rest is incomplete. I can’t write anymore. I’ll go to sleep first…] This chapter was 6,000 words long. Good night.

[P.S. 2: I just found out that I had to paste another two or three hundred words when I was editing the article. I’ve already changed it. I’ll give you a few hundred words for free tomorrow. That’s all.]